Aneroid actuated pressure release device



Dec. 21, 1954 S E E 2,697,538

ANEROID ACTUATED PRESSURE RELEASE DEVICE Filed Oct. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2,4 J G- Z.

INVENTOR.

Dec. 21, 1954 SEELER 2,697,538

ANEROID ACTUATED PRESSURE RELEASE DEVICE Filed Oct. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 57 EIyINJVENTOR. 8 Q 55 0 Q;

United States Patent AYEROID ACTUATED PRESSURE RELEASE DEVICE Henry Seeler, Dayton, Ohio Application October 28, 1949, Serial No. 124,161 6 Claims. (Cl. 22047) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to an aneroid actuated pressure release device, particularly for use with a mask and pressure suit combination oxygen regulator.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable aneroid actuated pressure release device including means to alternatively release the pressure by manual operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an aneroid actuated seal piercing device in which the aneroid bellows is adapted to trip the piercing means without exerting any appreciable force in accomplishing its purose.

P Another object of the invention is to provide an aneroid actuated pressure releasing means in the form of a springprojected plunger normally retained in the retracted position by means of a pair of pivoted latch members which are simultaneously releasable by an aneroid bellows upon expansion thereof at high altitudes, and which are adapted to be simultaneously released by manually operable means including a pullcord and hand grip.

The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a combined side elevation and cross sectional view to show the pressure release device in a preferred form and in its connected relation with a mask and pressure suit combination oxygen regulator.

Fig. 2 is a view of one part of the pressure release device with the surrounding case shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. .4 is a cross sectional view through a second form of pressure release device.

Fig. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken at a right angle with respect to Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view of the pressure release device taken from one end with the cover and attached aneroid bellows removed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. l-to 3 illustrates the aneroid actuated pressure release device in association with'a mask and pressure suit combination oxygen regulator of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 113,015, filed August 29, 1949. Since this kind of oxygen regulator is used in emergency at high altitudes either in bailing out of an aircraft or in staying in the aircraft in spite of loss of air pressure therein due to battle damage or due to failure of the cabin pressurizing equipment, the present device must respond to reduced barometric pressure at predetermined altitudes to start the flow of oxygen from a high pressure reservoir. In the same way the present device may respond to supply gaseous pressure to other accessories and appliances and may be manually operable also in the manner to be described below. Thus the pressure release device might be adapted to actuate ail-ejection seat as used on certain high speed aircraft or in actuating means to jettison extra fuel tanks, to name only two possible applications outside of oxygen regulators.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 1 indicates a mask and pressure suit combination oxygen regulator, while numeral 2 indicates the aneroid actuated pressure release device. The latter includes a projecting portion 3 having screw threads exteriorly thereof and including a passage 4 to carry oxy- 2,697,538 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 2 gen under pressure into the regulator by way of a passage 5. Oxygen at different pressures leaves the regulator by way of fittings 6 and 7 to the face mask and pressure suit (not shown).

The aneroid actuated pressure release device 2 includes a housing 8 having a pressure gage 9 threaded into one end and adapted to sense available oxygen pressure in a reservoir connected at the screw threaded; fitting 10. The gage 9 is threaded into an opening or chamber 11 having a shoulder 12 at a point of reduced diameter. Against this shoulder there is a screw threaded washer 13 receiving a copper sealing disk 14 and held in place by means of a second screw threaded washer 15. Slidably mounted in the chamber 11 is a plunger 16 having a piercing point 17 secured on the end adjacent to the sealing disk 14. The portion of the plunger adjacent to the piercing point is of maximum diameter and this portion is provided with apertures 18 to permit the free flow of oxygen just as soon as the plunger moves forward to puncture the sealing disk. Relative rotation of the plunger and housing is prevented by the use of a pin or strip 19 fixed to the housing and engageable with an edge portion of the plunger where the diameter is greatest. The plunger is adapted to be spring actuated when released by means of a coil spring 20 bearing at the rearward end on a Washer 21. The washer 21 has a beveled rearward face to force the rubber O-ring 22 against the plunger and also against the portion of the housing adjacent thereto. This arrangement will prevent oxygen leakage rearwardly past the plunger, when the flow is started by rupture of sealing disk 14.

The housing 8 includes a cup-shaped rearward end portion 23 closed by a threaded cap member 24 having air inlet holes 25 therein. Adjustably secured on the cap member 24 is an aneroid bellows 26 having a threaded stud 27 passing through the cap member and retained in adjusted position by means of a threaded cap nut 28. The free end portion of the aneroid bellows is adapted to contact a latch releasing member upon expansion of the bellows at high altitudes, to trip the spring projected plunger and thus puncture or rupture the sealing disk 14. The bellows 26 encloses a compression spring to make the metal bellows more responsive to pressure changes. The bellows is evacuated before use, so that the bellows will be compressed a maximum amount at seal level or below sea level but as the altitude increases the bellows expands in response to reduced barometric pressure. It should be understood that the regulator 1 and pressure release device 2 is intended to be mounted in a pressurized aircraft and if all goes well the regulator is not used, because the pressure maintained in the aircraft is sufiicient to prevent actuation of the bellows to a latch releasing position. However if the cabin pressure is suddenly lost at high altitude, then the aneroid bellows 26 will expand and cause release of the seal puncturing plunger 16.

The latch device for the plunger 16 mounted inthe cup-shaped housing portion 23 includes a circular base plate 30 mounted for limited rotary movement by means of a pair of studs 31 extending through curved slots 32. Rotation of the base plate through the limited range allowed by the slots is accomplished by a pull cord 33 having a head portion 34 fitting into a recess in a slidable block 35. Secured in the block is a short rod 36 having its other end secured by a stud 37 to the base plate 30. The block 35 is provided with a screw threaded recess-38 to receive a traction tool for retracting the block for fitting thereto a new pull cord. Also there are coinciding holes in the housing and blocks to receive a pin 39 as an extra precaution against inadvertent release of the latch device by unauthorized or unskilled persons. The head portion 34 of the pull cord 33 is a small metal ball and its release from the recess in block 35 is impossible until the recess is moved beyond the adjacent wall portion of the housing. When this occurs the head portion becomes disengaged and then it will be certain that the base plate 30 has been rotated sufliciently to cause release of the latch device. The base plate 30 is normally retained in the position shown by means of a torsion coil spring 29 fitting in the annular recess 30' formed in the outer edge of the base plate. Manual release by the use of pull cord 33 is only for emergency when the aneroid bellows and associated releasing means fails to function or in case there is an emergency requiring a person to bail out of the aircraft at high altitude. Thus even though the cabin may still be pressurized, the personnel aboard the aircraft may be required to bail out due to fire, structural failure or other serious threat. The oxygen supply then will be furnished by a small bail-out bottle which can be hung onto the pressure suit by a suitable snap fastening means.

The end of the plunger 16 projecting into housing portion 23 carries a rigid head 16 providing shoulders engageable by a pair of pivoted latch members 40 and 41 mounted for movement between a pair of side plates 42 and 43 rigid with respect to the base plate 30. The head 16' of the plunger is recessed on opposite sides, as at 16", so that upon rotation of the base plate 30 the latch members 40 and 41 will line up with the recesses and the plunger will then spring forward and puncture the sealing disk 14. This is the action which occurs when the pull cord 33 is drawn out to the limit of its movement. The torsion spring 29 then returns the base plate to the original position shown.

As will be seen in Fig. 1 the latch member 40 contacts the latch member 41 and therefore on release of the member 40, the retracting spring 44 acts to retract both latch members out of latching engagement with the plunger 16. Until the bellows 26 expands, the latch members are retained in latching position by a detent 45 having an extended end 45 adapted for contact by the bellows 26 upon expansion thereof. In order to provide double assurance that the plunger will be released upon rotation of base plate 30, the detent 45 includes a cam portion 45" (see Fig. 2) adapted to be cammed into latch member releasing position by the stud 46 projecting inwardly from the housing wall (see Fig. 3). By careful adjustment of the bellows 26 the detent 45 will be moved to latch releasing position when a certain predetermined barometric pressure affects the bellows. If this automatic releasing means fails to function or if it should be desired to release the gas pressure manually, the pull cord 33 may be actuated, after removal of the safety pin 39, to rotate the base plate 30 to latch releasing position. Upon release of plunger 16 from the latch members 40 and 41 the plunger will shoot forward to break or puncture the sealing disk 14, thus allowing oxygen to flow into the chamber 11 and thence by passages 4 and 5 to the regulator 1. After manual operation of the releasing means the pull cord 33 will then be loose from the block 35 and this fact in itself will lend assurance that the oxygen flow has been started. In resetting the device after manual operation a tool having a threaded end portion is inserted in the recess 38. The block 35 is then retracted to bring the slot therein out beyond the housing, whereby a new pull cord 33 having the ball end portion 34 thereon may be attached to the block which is then permitted to return to the normal position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In resetting the plunger 16 to the retracted position Where it can be retained by the latch members 49 and 41, the gage 9 is removed to permit entry of a thin rod through the washers 13 and 15. The point 17 is engaged by the rod to push back the plunger sufficiently to enable the apex of head 16' to contact latch member 41. The latter in turn contacts the latch member 40 and the hooked portions of both latch members now swing under the head 16'. The detent 45 is now able to engage the pointed end of latch member 40 to retain it in the plunger latching position. There is also preferably a small coil spring around the pivot of detent 45 to urge it into the latch retaining position shown and a similar spring may be used to yieldably retain the latch member 41 in the latching position as shown. However this latter spring will be so weak in its action that the coil spring 44- will readily overcome the force thereof and move both latch members to plunger releasing position. In moving to the releasing position the latch member 40 is moved directly by the spring 44, while the latch member 41 is moved by the other latch member 40 by virtue of its pressure contact with the projecting free end of member 41. The pull cord 33, which is preferably a braided wire having marked flexibility, is provided with a ball or knob on the outer end to provide a convenient hand grip. Also in practice a tag is attached to the looped end of cotter pin 39 and is labeled inoperative until pin is removed. After resetting the plunger and latch- 4 ing means, the sealing disk 14 is replaced and then the washer 15 is threaded 'into position after which the gage 9 is threaded back into the position shown. It is to be understood that even with the pin 39 in place the automatic aneroid actuated latch release means is still operative.

The second embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is somewhat simpler in construction. Here the pressure releasing device 2 is not shown in association with an oxygen regulator or any other apparatus but its use will be well understood in view of the foregoing description.

The second form of the invention includes a housing 8 having a projecting portion 3 provided with screw threads exteriorly thereof and including a passage 4 to carry oxygen under pressure into a regulator. The aneroid actuated pressure release device 2 carries a pressure gage 9 threaded into one end and adapted to sense available pressure in a reservoir or gas line connected at the screw threaded fitting 10'. The gage 9 is threaded into an opening or chamber 11 having a shoulder 12' at a point of reduced diameter. Against this shoulder there is a washer or ring 13 receiving a copper sealing disk 14' held in place by a screw threaded washer 15. Slidably mounted in the chamber 11' is a plunger 50 having a piercing point 51 secured on the end adjacent to the sealing disk 14. The portion of the plunger adjacent to the piercing point is of maximum diameter and this portion is provided with apertures 52 to permit free flow of gas just as soon as the plunger moves forward to puncture the sealing disk. Relative rotation of the plunger and housing is prevented by the use of a pin 53 fixed to the housing and engageable with an edge portion of the plunger is spring actuated upon release thereof by means of coil spring 54 and rearwardly of the coil spring is a washer and rubber O-ring as described in conjunction with Fig. l.

The housing 8 includes a cup-shaped rearward end portion 55 closed by a threaded cap member 56 having air inlet holes 57 therein. Adjustably secured on the cap member 56 is an aneroid bellows 58 having a threaded stud 59 passing through the cap member and retained in adjusted position by means of a threaded cap nut 60. The free end portion of the aneroid bellows is adapted to contact a latch releasing member upon expansion of the bellows at high altitudes, to trip the spring projected plunger and thus rupture the sealing disk 14.

The latch device for the plunger 50 includes a circular base plate 61 rigidly secured at the bottom of housing portion 55 by means of screws 62 and 63. Projecting from the base plate are spaced supporting members 64 to pivotally support a pair of latch members 65 having offset end portions 66 adapted to engage in a hole extending through the adjacent end of plunger 50. The latch members are urged to latching position by means of compression springs 67 located in grooves on the underside of base plate 61. Between the end portions 66 are latch releasing balls 68 adapted to be forced apart by a sliding pin 69, having a wedge-shaped end portion extending between the balls. The pin 69 is guided by its engage-. ment in a central bore in plunger 50 and by its engagement in a hole through a cover plate or strip 70 secured to base plate 61 by the screw 63. Where the pin 69 passes through strip 70 it is of square section (see Fig. 6), to prevent rotation of the pin and ensure proper action of the tapered ball-engaging end thereof. The outer end of pin 69 is provided with an enlarged head 69 which is engageable by the free end portion of bellows 58 upon expansion thereof.

An alternative manual release of the latch members 65 is taken care of by means of a cam plate 71 connected by a pin 72 to a cable or cord anchor piece 73. The cord 74 is permanently attached to the piece 73 by any suitable means and extends out of the housing for permanent attachment to a block 75. The block 75 fits between ears 76 and a pin 77 is passed through both the ears and block as a safety measure, just as the pin 39 is provided in the first form of the invention. As seen in Fig. 6 the cam plate 71 is provided with sloping cam surfaces on opposite sideedges adjacent to the latch members 66. In order to use the manual release means, it is merely necessary to first remove the safetypin 77 and exert pull on the cord 74 whereby the simultaneous sliding movement of plate 71 will force both latch members 66 out of latching engagement with plunger 50.

The plunger will now spring forwardly and the point 51 thereof will pierce the seal 14'.

The operation of the second form of the invention will be described briefly. In normal use with a pressurized aircraft cabin and pilots oxygen equipment the aneroid bellows 58 will expand only when the cabin pressure is lost or in case the pilot bails out carrying a portable oxygen container. When the bellows has expanded a predetermined amount it will force the sliding pin 69 toward the latch releasing ball members 68, thus forcing these members apart and releasing the olfset end portions of the latch members 66 from the plunger 50. The plunger 50 will now spring forwardly and the point 51 thereof will pierce or rupture the sealing disk 14', permitting oxygen under pressure to flow into the chamber Manual release of latch members 66 may be accomplished by movement of the cam plate 71 connected to the pull cord or cable 74 extending outside of the housing. When the bellows is contracted the plunger and latching means may be reset in a manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3. A new sealing disk is of course installed at that time and the device made ready for use once again. The pull cord 74 does not become disconnected from the latch releasing means upon actuation thereof, as in the first described form of the invention, but otherwise the devices are similar in general arrangement and function. However the first described plunger latching means is probably more reliable and responsive and is usually preferred. In Fig. 5 the fitting 78, provided with a screw threaded cap 79, is for the purpose of recharging the oxygen container connected to the fitting This recharging fitting is used in all forms of the invention and the preferred construction thereof is shown and described in my copending application identified above.

The embodiments of the invention herein shown and described are to be regarded as illustrative only and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of variations, modifications and changes Within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. An aneroid actuated pressure release device comprising, a housing member having a chamber therein adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure by rupture of an imperforate sealing disk extending across said chamber, removable means for clamping said disk in position within said chamber with one side facing into said chamber, a seal rupturing plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and spring urged to a projected position when released for rupturing said sealing disk, a pair of pivotally mounted latch members having oflFset end portions adapted to engage behind shoulders on said plunger for retaining said plunger in retracted position, spring means normally biasing said latch members into plunger engaging position, a manually operable cam plate having opposite camming edges and extending between said latch members to force the same apart and release said plunger upon manual actuation of said cam plate, a pair of ball members between said offset end portions, wedge means having a tapered portion extending between said ball members, an aneroid bellows mounted in said housing member in a portion thereof separated from said chamber and open to the atmosphere and adapted to expand at reduced atmospheric pressure to cause movement of said wedge means for forcing said ball members apart and thus cause release of said latch members from said plunger.

2. An aneroid actuated pressure release device comprising, a housing member having a chamber therein adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure by rupture of an imperforate sealing disk extending across said chamber, removable means for clamping said disk in position within said chamber with one side facing into said chamber, a seal rupturing plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and spring urged to a projected position when released for rupturing said sealing disk, a pair of pivotally mounted latch members having end portions adapted to engage behind shoulders on said plunger for retaining said plunger in retracted position, means rigid with respect to one latch member extending into contacting relation with the other latch member and having a free end portion providing a detent engaging shoulder, a pivotally mounted detent for engaging said last named shoulder, an aneroid bellows mounted in said housing member in a portion thereof separated from said chamber and-open to the atmosphere, and aneroiden gageablemeans rigid with said detent and'adaptedtohe engaged by an end portion of said aneroid bellows upon expansion thereof under'a reduced atmospheric pressure to'release said detent from latch member engagement and simultaneously release said latch members from holding engagement with respect to said plunger.

3. An aneroid actuated pressure release device-comprising, a housing member having a chamber therein adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure by rupture of an imperforate sealing disk extending across said chamber, removable means.for'clampingxsaid disk in position'within said chamber withone side facing into said chamber, a seal rupturing plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and spring urged to a projected position when released for rupturing said sealing disk, one end of said plunger carryinga seal rupturing point and other end having a head thereon of greater diameter than that of the plunger, said head being provided with a pair of notches at opposite sides, a pair ofpivotally mounted latch members having end portions adapted to engage under said plunger head for retainingsaid plunger in retracted position, means mounting said latch members for simultaneous rotation about the longitudinal-axis of said plunger independently of the pivotal'movement thereof, means normally biasing said mounting means to a position where said latch member end portions are out of register with the notches in said plungerhead,-manually operable means for rotating said mounting means to bring said latch member end portions into register with said notches to release said plunger from its retracted position, an aneroid bellows mounted in said housing member in a portion thereof separated from said chamber and open to the atmosphere, and means responsive to expansion of said bellows under a reduced atmospheric pressure prevailing at a predetermined altitude to cause pivotal movement of said latch members and thereby release said latch members from latching engagement with said plunger head.

4. A pressure release device comprising, a housing member having a chamber therein adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure by rupture of an imperforate sealing disk extending across said chamber, removable means for clamping said disk in position within said chamber with one side facing into said chamber, a seal rupturing plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and spring urged to a projected position when released for rupturing said sealing disk, one end of said plunger carrying a seal rupturing point and the other end having a head thereon of greater diameter than that of the plunger, said head being provided with a pair of notches at opposite sides, a pair of latch members having end portions adapted to engage under said plunger head for retaining said plunger in retracted position, means mounting said latch members for simultaneous rotation about the longitudinal axis of said plunger, means normally biasing said mounting means to a position where said latch member end portions are out of register with the notches in said plunger head, and manually operable means for rotating said mounting means to bring said latch member end portions into register with said notches to release said plunger from its retracted position.

5. An aneroid actuated pressure release device comprising, a housing member having a chamber therein adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure by rupture of an imperforate sealing disk extending across said chamber, removable means for clamping said disk in position within said chamber with one side facing into said chamber, a seal rupturing plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and spring urged to a projected position when released for rupturing said sealing disk, a pair of pivotally mounted latch members having end portions adapted to engage 'behind shoulders on said plunger for retaining said plunger in retracted position, means rigid with respect to one latch member extending into contacting relation with the other latch member and having a free end portion providing a detent engaging shoulder, a pivot-ally mounted detent for engaging said last named shoulder, an aneroid bellows mounted in said housing member in a portion thereof separated from said chamber and open to the atmosphere, aneroid engageable means rigid with said detent and adapted to be engaged by an end portion of said aneroid bellows upon expansion thereof under a reduced atmospheric pressure to release said detent from latch member engagement and simultaneously release said latch members from holding engagement with respect to said plunger, means mounting said latch members and detent for simultaneous rotation about the longitudinal axis of said plunger independently of the pivotal movement thereof, cam means on said detent engageable by a projection on said housing member portion upon rotation of said mounting means to cause release of said detent from latch member engagement, means normally biasing said mounting means to a position where said cam means and said projection are out of engagement, and manually operable means for rotating said mounting means to bring said cam means and said projection into cooperating engagement.

6. An aneroid actuated pressure release device comprising, a housing member having a chamber therein adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure by rupture of an imperforate sealing disk extending across said chamber, removable means for clamping said disk in position within said chamber, a seal rupturing plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and spring urged to a projected position when released for rupturing said sealing disk, a pair of aligned pivotally mounted latch members arranged longitudinally of the plunger for engagement with shoulders at opposite sides thereof to retain the plunger in retracted position, an aneroid bellows axially aligned with said plunger arranged in said housing intermediate one end thereof which is open to the atmosphere and the latch members, latch releasing means aligne d with the plunger and the bellows engageable by said bellows to urge the latch members to a release position on subjecting the bellows to reduced atmospheric pressure at a predetermined altitude, and manually operabl e means arranged in a plane perpendicular to the plunger and engageable with said latch members to urge them to a release position.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 

